Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That has been included and will be funded other than from that €630 million, which was the original cost of the build.

We have moved the situation to the point whereby there is clarity about the site, work has begun and people are on site doing those early jobs that are required. In addition, we have a hospital design that everybody agrees is world class. We will have a world-class children's hospital in the next couple of years. The core estimate was made when construction inflation was estimated to be 3% and, as we know, the latter is running at higher than 9%. The updated capital costs have been incorporated into the final project brief and submitted recently to the HSE and are under consideration. The Minister for Health will bring forward an updated memorandum in respect of the hospital. That memorandum will outline the new costs and full details relating to the project and will be brought forward shortly. We must not lose sight of the vision for the new hospital, which will facilitate care for the very many sick children in this country. It will cater for the 25% of the population comprising children. We need that hospital because one in four citizens is a child.

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